In addition to the world bank study, the ministry of statistics and progressment implementation (MOSPI) Released the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) National Indicator Framework 2025, Whichich Tracks. Performance Across 17 SDGs using 284 indicators. While this Report is a valuable tool for aligning India’s metrics with Global Targets, it primarily emphasies administrate programs and agregate outcomes – overlooking disperition at the grams. affordability, and inclusion. These dimensions are critical to measuring and understanding relative poverty and inquality.

This is where the access (in) Equality Index (AEI) 2025, Developed Annually by the Center for New Economic Studies (Cnes), Offers A Vital Complement to the Current Debate on Inquality Assessment. Grounded in the context and patterns of economic development in low- and middle-income countries, the aei draws on official data sources and reorganies indicators through a disaggery Framework: availability, affordability, approachabit, and approachabitness. These are then assessed across five measurable pillars: access to basic amenities, access to healthcare, access to education, access to soco-seconic security, and accept to leggal recourse.

Take, for example, the basic amenities pillar. The Aei Correlate with SDG-Nif Indicators Drawn from SDGs 1, 6, 7, And 11-Including SDG 6.1.1 (Proportion of Households with piped water support), 6.2.1 (Households with Improved Sanitation/Toilet facilities), 7.1.1 (Households using clean cooking fuel or electricity), and 11.1.1 (access to affordable, safehousing under schemes like-u).

The SDG-Nif Progress Report 2025 Presents Some encouraging Trends. Piped water cover, for instance, rose from 21.33% in 2019-20 to 80.22% in 2024-25. Access to Clean Cooking Fuel Reportedly Excessed 100% Coverage In Some Years, Indicating Strong Programmatic Reach. Similaria, over 97% of Schools Had Separate Toilets for Girls by 2023-24.

Howver, the Aei Ranks States not only on the presence of infrastructure but also on its functionality, usability, and inclusion. Goa, for instance, scores high in the basic amenities pillar (0.97), while jharkhand (0.31), bihar (0.38), and odisha (0.39) lag significantly behind.

Although the SDG-NIF Reports Progress in Bringing Water “Within Premises,” This Implies That in Most States, Households Still Fetch Water From Outside Their Homes – A Burden That Falls Disproportionately on Women.

In HealthCare, The Aei Aligns with SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Beeing, Referance Indicators like Institutional Delivery Rates (SDG 3.1.2), Immunisation Coverage 3.B.1, Out-LoF-LoF-LoPeture. On Health (SDG 3.8.2), and the doctor-to-population ratio. Yet, the AEI provides a more nuanced view by disaggregating access by geography and affordability. While Goa (93%) and Tamil Nadu (89.9%) Report High Levels of Adize Antenatal Care, Nagland Reports Just 20.7%—Highlighting Critical Gaps in Maternal Helltheast and Other Hilly Hilly Hilly Region.

In terms of socio-penomic security, both the sdg-nif and aei engage with indicators from sdgs 1 (no povertty), 5 (gender equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and 10 (Redious Intected Intelities). National-Level Data Shows Steady Progress: The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) Angiduals aged 15-59 Increased from 61.6% In 2022-23 to 64.3% in 2023-24. Banking outlets per 100,000 population rose from 59.9 in 2015-16 to a peak of 267.5 in 2021-22, before stabilizing at 144.3 in 2023-24. Atm expansion has been more modest, growing from 16.5 to 18.5 in the same period.

The AEI contextualises these outcomes by exposing disparities in access to emptyment, financial infrastructure, and income equity. Andhra Predesh Leads in the Socio -conomic Security Pillar with a Score of 0.70, Followed by Goa (0.60), While Bihar (0.18), Assam, and Manipur (Around 0.21 Each) perform the work. Notably, all five southern states feature amng the top eight performers, whereas many northestern states consistently rank at the bottom –refling the roll of policy

In education, both sdg-nif and aei monitor indicators aligned with sdg 4: Quality Education. While sdg-nif time-series data shows improve The proportion of secondary and higher secondary schools with internet access increased from 46.3% in 2015-16 to 78.5% in 2023-24. However, Aei data shows that in over half of Indian states, Less than 50% of schools have functions, and only 25% of states surpass 75% Coverage. In terms of digital readiness, Only Kerala and Gujarat Excess 60% School-Level Internet Coverage.

The access to legal recourse pillar, aligned with sdg 16: peace, justice, and strong institutions, assesses the functionality and increment of judicial systems. The sdg-nif paints a modest picture: courts per lakh population 1.82 in 2016 to 1.93 in 2024, and judges from 1.33 to 1.55 in the same incremental capacity Building.

The Aei Adds An Equity Lens By Incorporating Gender-Disaggregated Data on Representation in Legal Institutions. Sikkim Leads with 33.3% of judges being women – an encouraging sign. By Contrast, States Such as Bihar, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura Report 0% Women Judges, Underscoring Persistent Gender Exclusion. Moreover, the sdg-nif records that 1.2% of Women aged 18-29 Reported Experiencing Sexual Violence Before the age of 18 (2019-21), a figure likely understated due to understand and Cultural STIGMA.

The writer is Professor of Economics and Dean, Ideas, Office of Interdisciplinary Studies; Director, Center for New Economics Studies, OP Jindal Global University; And currently visiting professor at the london school of economics and visiting research fellow, university of oxford. Ankur Singh and Aditi Desai, Research Analysts at Cnes, Contributed To This Column